Jal Manthan - 2

Jal Manthan-2 was organized by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 22-23 February, 2016 with the theme “Integrated Approach for Sustainable Water Management.”

The programme was inaugurated on 22nd February, 2016 by Sushri Uma Bharti Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Prof. Sanwar Lal Jat, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation; Shri S.N. Poudyal, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation and Flood Control, Government of Sikkim; Shri T. Harish Rao, Hon’ble Irrigation Minister, Government of Telengana; and Shri Surendra Singh Patel, Hon’ble Minister of State for Irrigation, Government of Uttar Pradesh were present during function. Senior Officers from the Central and State Governments, eminent experts in the water sector, representatives of NGOs etc. also participated in the event.

The Hon’ble Union Minister of MoWR, RD & GR in her speech emphasized on the need of identification of issues resulting in delay in implementation of the projects and to finalize strategies for removing the same. Hon’ble Union Minister of State Prof. Sanwar Lal Jat focused on outcome from pending projects. The State Ministers while speaking raised the subject of faster clearance of proposals by MoWR and streamlining of guidelines for Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).

On the First Day, sessions on the following three topics were held:
i) PMKSY Priority Projects – Implementation Issues,
ii) Inter Linking of rivers – Progress and Challenges
iii) River Basin Approach – Present Status and Future Indication.

The sessions on Second Day were on the following subjects:
i) Ground Water and National Hydrology Project,
ii) Principles of Allocation of Water,
iii) Water Management,
iv) Use of innovative Technologies
v) Water Conservation

The Valedictory Session on the second day was presided over by Sushri Uma Bharti, Hon’ble Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Shri Brij Mohan Agrawal, Hon’ble Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Government of Chhattisgarh was present during the function. Senior officers from the Central and state Governments were also present on the occasion.

In her valedictory address, Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation stressed on the need for time bound completion of identified projects. She also emphasized on giving impetus to the inter-linking of river programmes. She appealed to the different stakeholders for their whole-hearted cooperation in the efforts for water conservation and water use efficiency.